Answered4 years ago

Can I pause my ED visa in Thailand if I need to return to my home country?

ED Visa Visa Extension Re-entry Permit Thailand Visa Rules International Travel Expats in Thailand

Jack ****************

asked Sep 11, 2022

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Currently about halfway through an ED visa.  Some stuff back in the ol'motherland is calling for attention.  Is there a way to "pause the clock" and go back for a bit and take care of stuff and return?  Or is any exit/re-entry stuff going to keep eating at my 1 year?

Answer summary

You cannot pause your ED visa in Thailand. If you leave the country while on an ED visa, you will need to obtain a re-entry permit; however, it will only be valid for the duration of your current extension. If you do not return before the extension expires, you will lose your visa status. Additionally, long absences may lead to questions regarding your eligibility for the ED visa, which requires regular in-person attendance for studies.

7 repliesnewest first

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Shayne **********

If you can get your next extension early you get around 4 months away with a re-entry to keep the visa. But actually you lose the class time usually. Unless you have a flexible Visa like Muay Thai where you can take extra classes to make up the time.

4 years ago

Jack ****************

@Shayne *********

this sounds counter to what others are saying. Maybe one of us is unclear so I am going to dig in a little I hope that is okay.

If I just stay my year is up start of Feb. I asking if, for example, I left for November, if it is possible to keep the visa through March

4 years ago

Shayne **********

I am not unclear.

A re-entry is valid for as long as the visa is valid.

With most education visas that means every 3 months you get a visa extension.

So that means your Visa is expiring every 3 months.

You can arrange to get your visa up to one month early.

That gives you 4 months to be away if it's a desperate situation and you want to keep your Visa before your next extension.

I am thinking that you're in your first or second visa extension, because if you're in your third visa extension you wouldn't be asking this question you would just leave early.

4 years ago

Jack ****************

@Shayne *********

Don't get yourself worked up. I worded that specifically to acknowledge that maybe any miscommunication was on me.

Obviously I can leave whenever I want. I would rather not waste the time here, but I don't want the situation back there to go neglected for too long. I was hoping there would be a way to pause the clock- sounds like there is not. No problem now I can try to assess priorities.

4 years ago

Shayne **********

@Jack ***************

no, you don't get extra time added at the end.

4 years ago

Jeremy ********

You don’t even get a refund or anything if you leave prior to the end…

4 years ago

Brandon ************

There's no way to pause it. If you leave while on the ED you need to get a re-entry permit, and it will only last as long as your current extension. If you're not back before then, the extension ends and you are back at no status.

Also if you are gone too long they may question you since an ED visa is for studying in person on a regular basis which you can't do outside the country.

4 years ago